Personalized air conditioning system

Abstract

An air conditioning system comprising a personal air terminal extending upwardly from a floor through a surface for supplying conditioned air to an area. The personal air terminal includes a first wall integrally connected to a second wall to form the personal air terminal. The first and second walls each have an upper and a lower portion. The first and second walls taper inwardly from their lower portions to their upper portions for allowing air to readily flow therebetween. The first and second wall are in engagement with and surround an opening in the floor. A pair of air outlet registers are integral with one of the first and second walls and elevated a predetermined distance from the floor for allowing air flowing between the first and second walls to flow to an area surrounding the personal air terminal. A fan unit moves conditioned air from the second side of the floor through the opening, between the first and second walls and through the registers to the surrounding area.

We claim: 
     
       1. A personal air terminal extending from a mounting member for supplying conditioned air to an area, the mounting member having a first side and a second side, said personal air terminal comprising: a first wall integrally connected to a second wall to form the personal air terminal, said first and second walls each having upper and lower portions, said lower portion of said first wall being spaced apart from said lower portion of said second wall by a first predetermined distance to define a first air flow area therebetween, said upper portion of said first wall being spaced apart from said upper portion of said second wall by a second predetermined distance to define a second air flow area therebetween, said first predetermined distance being greater than said second predetermined distance, said first and second walls tapering inwardly from said lower portions of said first and second walls to said upper portions of said first and second walls for allowing air to readily flow therebetween, said lower portions of said first and second walls being in engagement with said mounting member and surrounding an opening in said mounting member;   air outlet means integral with one of said first or second walls and elevated a predetermined distance from said first side of said mounting member for allowing air flowing through said first and second air flow areas to flow therethrough to an area surrounding said personal air terminal; and   air moving means for moving conditioned air from said second side of said mounting member into said first and second air flow areas whereby air flows from said second side of said mounting member through said opening into said first and second flow areas and through said air outlet means to said surrounding area.   
     
     
       2. The personal air terminal as recited in claim 1, wherein said air moving means is positioned on the second side of said mounting member. 
     
     
       3. The personal air terminal as recited in claim 1, wherein said outlet means comprises a first air outlet register positioned on said upper portion of one of said first and second walls whereby conditioned air is directed through said first air outlet register to impinge directly on or near a person proximate the personal air terminal without affecting the overall conditioning of the area surrounding the personal air terminal. 
     
     
       4. The personal air terminal as recited in claim 3, wherein said air outlet means further comprises a second air outlet register positioned in one of said first and second walls between said first air outlet register and said first side of said mounting member for providing a flow of conditioned air for conditioning the area surrounding the personal air terminal. 
     
     
       5. The personal air terminal as recited in claim 4, further including baffle means positioned between said first and second air outlet registers for controlling the respective flow of air through said first and second air outlet registers. 
     
     
       6. The personal air terminal as recited in claim 1, further including a first side panel and a second side panel integrally connected between and complementing said first and second walls to further form the personal air terminal, said first and second side panels each having an upper portion and a lower portion, said lower portion of said first side panel being spaced apart from said lower portion of said second side panel by a third predetermined distance to further define said first air flow area therebetween, said upper portion of said first side panel being spaced apart from said upper portion of said second side panel by a fourth predetermined distance to further define said second air flow area therebetween, said third predetermined distance being greater than said fourth predetermined distance, said first and second side panels tapering inwardly from said lower portions of said first and second side panels to said upper portions of said first and second side panels for allowing air to readily flow therebetween, said lower portions of said first and second side panels being in engagement with said mounting member and surrounding said opening in said mounting member. 
     
     
       7. A personal air terminal extending upwardly from a floor through a surface for supplying conditioned air to an area, the floor having a first side and a second side, said personal air terminal comprising: a first wall integrally connected to a second wall to form the personal air terminal, said first and second walls each having upper and lower portions, said lower portion of said first wall being spaced apart from said lower portion of said second wall by a first predetermined distance to define a first air flow area therebetween, said upper portion of said first wall being spaced apart from said upper portion of said second wall by a second predetermined distance to define a second air flow area therebetween, said first predetermined distance being greater than said second predetermined distance, said first and second walls tapering inwardly from said lower portions of said first and second walls to said upper portions of said first and second walls for allowing air to readily flow therebetween, said lower portions of said first and second walls being in engagement with said floor and surrounding an opening in said floor;   air outlet means integral with one of said first or second walls and elevated a predetermined distance from said first side of said floor for allowing air flowing through said first and second air flow areas to flow therethrough to an area surrounding said personal air terminal; and   air moving means for moving conditioned air from said second side of said floor into said first and second air flow areas whereby air flows from said second side of said floor through said opening into said first and second flow areas and through said air outlet means to said surrounding area.   
     
     
       8. The personal air terminal as recited in claim 7, wherein said air moving means is positioned on the second side of said floor. 
     
     
       9. The personal air terminal as recited in claim 7, wherein said outlet means comprises a first air outlet register positioned on said upper portion of one of said first and second walls whereby conditioned air is directed through said first air outlet register to impinge directly on or near a person proximate the personal air terminal without affecting the overall conditioning of the area surrounding the personal air terminal. 
     
     
       10. The personal air terminal as recited in claim 9, wherein said air outlet means further comprises a second air outlet register positioned in one of said first and second walls between said first air outlet register and said floor for providing a flow of conditioned air for conditioning the area surrounding the personal air terminal. 
     
     
       11. The personal air terminal as recited in claim 10, further including baffle means positioned between said first and second air outlet registers for controlling the respective flow of air through said first and second air outlet registers. 
     
     
       12. The personal air terminal as recited in claim 7, further including a first side panel and a second side panel integrally connected between and complementing said first and second walls to further form the personal air terminal, said first and second side panels each having an upper portion and a lower portion, said lower portion of said first side panel being spaced apart from said lower portion of said second side panel by a third predetermined distance to further define said first air flow area therebetween, said upper portion of said first side panel being spaced apart from said upper portion of said second side panel by a fourth predetermined distance to further define said second air flow area therebetween, said third predetermined distance being greater than said fourth predetermined distance, said first and second side panels tapering inwardly from said lower portions of said first and second side panels to said upper portions of said first and second side panels for allowing air to readily flow therebetween, said lower portions of said first and second side panels being in engagement with said floor and surrounding said opening in said floor. 
     
     
       13. A personal air terminal extending upwardly from a floor through a surface for supplying conditioned air to an area, the floor having a first side and a second side, said personal air terminal comprising: a first wall integrally connected to a second wall to form the air terminal, said first and second walls each having upper and lower portions, said lower portion of said first wall being spaced apart from said lower portion of said second wall by a first predetermined distance to define a first air flow area therebetween, said upper portion of said first wall being spaced apart from said upper portion of said second wall by a second predetermined distance to define a second air flow area therebetween, said first predetermined distance being greater than said second predetermined distance, said first and second walls tapering inwardly from said lower portions of said first and second walls to said upper portions of said first and second walls for allowing air to readily flow therebetween, said lower portions of said first and second walls being in engagement with said floor and surrounding an opening in said floor;   a surface elevated a predetermined distance from said floor, said surface including a complementary opening therethrough for receiving said upper portions of said first and second walls therethrough;   air outlet means integral with one of said first and second walls and elevated a predetermined distance from said surface for allowing air within said air flow areas to flow therethrough to an area surrounding said personal air terminal; and   air moving means for moving conditioned air from said second side of said floor into said air flow areas whereby air flows from the second side of said floor through said opening into said air flow areas and through said air outlet means to said surrounding area.   
     
     
       14. The personal air terminal as recited in claim 13, wherein said air moving means is positioned on the second side of said floor. 
     
     
       15. The personal air terminal as recited in claim 13, wherein said outlet means comprises a first air outlet register positioned on said upper portion of one of said first and second walls whereby conditioned air is directed through said second air outlet register to impinge directly on or near a person proximate the surface without affecting the overall conditioning of the area surrounding the personal air terminal. 
     
     
       16. The personal air terminal as recited in claim 15, wherein said air outlet means further comprises a second air outlet register positioned in one of said first or second walls between said first air outlet register and said surface for providing a flow of conditioned air for conditioning the area surrounding the personal air terminal. 
     
     
       17. The personal air terminal as recited in claim 16, further including baffle means positioned between said first and second air outlet registers for controlling the respective flow of air through said first and second air outlet registers. 
     
     
       18. The personal air terminal as recited in claim 13, further including a first side panel and a second side panel integrally connected between and complementing said first and second walls to further form the personal air terminal, said first and second side panels each having an upper portion and a lower portion, said lower portion of said first side panel being spaced apart from said lower portion of said second side panel by a third predetermined distance to further define said first air flow area therebetween, said upper portion of said first side panel being spaced apart from said upper portion of said second side panel by a fourth predetermined distance to further define said second air flow area therebetween, said third predetermined distance being greater than said fourth predetermined distance, said first and second side panels tapering inwardly from said lower portions of said first and second side panels to said upper portions of said first and second side panels for allowing air to readily flow therebetween, said lower portions of said first and second side panels being in engagement with said floor and surrounding said opening in said floor.